Foxglove

Digitalis purpurea

• Position: partial shade
• Soil: moist, humus-rich soil
• Rate of growth: average to fast-growing
• Flowering period: June to July
• Flower colour: deep pink or purple
• Other features: hairy, dark green leaves; all parts of the plant may cause severe discomfort if ingested; contact with the foliage may irritate skin; excellent cut-flowers
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  Tall spikes of deep-pink or purple tubular flowers, maroon-spotted inside, in June and July. By purchasing these native foxglove seeds you can help Landlife protect existing wildflower areas and develop new wildflower sites. A magnet for bees and other beneficial pollinating insects, they're perfect for a wildlife or woodland garden.
  
  
• Garden care: Ensure that the soil that foxgloves are grown in is kept moist in summer. After flowering cut back the flowered spikes to encourage more sideshoots. Apply a generous 5-7 cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted organic matter around the plant in early spring.

  
  It is worth keeping in mind that these plants are mainly biennial, though if happy they will produce plenty of new sideshoots and self-seed freely.

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